EURO 2024
Euro 2024 Group A preview: Hopeful hosts
Group A is brimming with Bundesliga talent, with a full 20 Bundesliga stars in the Germany set-up along with seven in the Swiss squad and six Hungarians in the German top flight. Then there's Scotland, who open the UEFA Euro 2024 in Munich. Time to introduce the four teams...
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Germany
The hosts go into the tournament aiming to become European champions for a record fourth time following victories in 1972 in Belgium, 1980 in Italy and 1996 in England. While that will be a tall order given the quality of some of the other sides, Julian Nagelsmann's men will carry hopes of at least progressing further than the last 16 in Euro 2020, when England knocked Germany out.
Top star: Toni Kroos
A narrow UEFA Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund saw the German legend bow out of club football in the best possible style, winning the tournament for a sixth time. Given his seven league titles, four domestic cups and the 2014 World Cup, there is only one piece of silverware missing in the serial winner's personal trophy cabinet - a European Championship crown. The midfield general's ever-flawless passing technique can help him make a major contribution to Germany's charge in his final games on the big stage, having even come out of international retirement for the occasion.
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
At just 36, Nagelsmann is the youngest head coach at the tournament. Only Otto Nerz has ever been a younger Germany coach at the age of 34 when taking charge in 1923. The tactical genius was an even more fresh-faced 28 when he took charge of Hoffenheim before spells at RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich. He has relished the chance to carry the weight of expectation from the German public since taking the reins of the national team in September 2023.
One to watch: Florian Wirtz
The playmaker is less of an up-and-coming youngster these days than a man at the peak of his powers after inspiring Bayer Leverkusen to a sensational domestic double. In his 49 competitive appearances last season, Wirtz scored 18 goals and provided 20 assists, with his dazzling form seeing him crowned Bundesliga Player of the Season. As a 21-year-old eager to make even more of a mark on the game, he could just make Euro 2024 a defining tournament in a potentially great career.
Watch: The story of Florian Wirtz
Expectations
Germany always go into major tournaments expected to challenge, and that pressure is even more pronounced in a home tournament. Anything less than reaching the semi-finals would feel like a disappointment, but it is likely they will have to face a big name from Group B like Spain, Italy or Croatia by the quarter-finals at the latest.
Prediction
Friendly wins against the Netherlands and France in March have fuelled hope of great things from Germany, even if clashes against Ukraine and Greece in early June dampened this somewhat. With the whole country behind them, winning Group A looks likely. Talk of an unfavourable draw may or may not be borne out, but you can't become European champions without beating top teams at some stage. We think the buzz in Germany will show on the pitch, and with a little luck along the way, they might just make the final.
Scotland
With 40,000 to 100,000 members of the Tartan Army expected to descend on Germany at some stage, it promises to be a an ocassion to savour in the opening match in Munich. Scotland may be considered outsiders in the group, but they qualified second in Group A behind Spain and ahead of a talented Norway side. The Scots are in their fourth European Championship finals and are aiming to progress from the group stage for the first time.
Top star: Andy Robertson
The Liverpool left-back is the man with the most international experience in the team, earning 69 caps so far. The 30-year-old has been a regular for the Reds in recent seasons, making close to 300 performances and featuring in famous English Premier League and Champions League wins under Jürgen Klopp.
Coach: Steve Clarke
Clarke made close to 350 competitive appearances for Chelsea, winning the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup. The 60-year-old has been assistant coach to illustrious names such as José Mourinho, Ruud Gullit and Luiz Felipe Scolari. He has been in charge of Scotland since 2019 and has led his country to their second successive Euros. He has outlined his ambition to see them become the first Scotland side to make it out of the groups.
Watch: The Munich stadium experience
One to watch: Billy Gilmour
Gilmour has carried hopes of being a major player from an early age and was just 16 when he left Rangers for Chelsea in 2017. The midfielder made his Premier League debut in 2019 and has by now has become a regular for Brighton & Hove Albion. He is technically highly capable and also known for his incredible stamina. The man himself says: "My stamina is a big strength. If someone wants to man mark me, I’ll just keep running – you’ll have to catch me. I can run all day."
Expectations
After their success in qualifying, losing just once in the whole campaign, Scotland are entitled to have their sights on the last 16. They will need to improve on two wins in total during their four previous European Championships for that, though.
Prediction
Although Scotland could be awkward opponents for Germany and others, they remain outsiders for good reason. Their battling performance in holding eventual finalists England to a goalless draw in Euro 2020 can be a blueprint for a result or two this time.
Switzerland
Switzerland will be hoping to recreate the form that took them agonisingly close to the semi-finals of the last Euros, with only a penalty shootout defeat to Spain denying them a last-four spot. Murat Yakin's side are taking part in their sixth European Championship finals.
Top star: Granit Xhaka
Switzerland have several strong performers in their ranks, but none can look back on such a sensational season as Xhaka. The former Borussia Mönchengladbach man pulls the strings of the Switzerland midfield just as masterfully as he has done in a historic campaign for champions Leverkusen.
Watch: The best of Xhaka in 2023/24
Coach: Murat Yakin
Switzerland's coach is a familiar face to Bundesliga followers, having once played for VfB Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern. Yakin has been coaching for 18 years, and the 49-year-old took charge of Switzerland in 2021. He inpsired the side to a long unbeaten run that took them to the 2022 World Cup in superb fashion, where they reached the last 16.
One to watch: Fabian Rieder
The 22-year-old has long been regarded as the biggest talent in Switzerland. The midfielder moved last year from Young Boys to Rennes in order to take the next step of his career. Things have not gone to plan so far in France, with a spot on the substitutes' bench at first followed by a broken metatarsal - he will be hoping for better fortunes at Euro 20024.
Expectations
Qualification for Switzerland was far from a roaring success, although a strong start helped them to an eventual second-placed finish in Group I. The Swiss side will nonetheless be expected to make it out of the group, having featured in the knockouts of every major tournament since 2014.
Prediction
Switzerland should manage to make it out of Group A, with their squad looking strong enough for a top-two finish. Third place could also mean progress, of course. Second place would see them face one of Italy, Spain or Croatia in the last 16, which is likely to be a hurdle too far.
Hungary
Hungary are doing the best to create another golden era by making their third Euros in a row. They twice made the semi-finals back in 1964 and 1972, while in 2016 they made it through the groups before getting knocked out in the last 16. Marco Rossi's side were unbeaten for 14 matches until suffering a 2-1 defeat against Ireland at the start of June.
Top star: Dominik Szoboszlai
After two-and-a-half years at RB Leipzig, the midfielder moved to Liverpool last summer and has become a regular there. Szoboszlai is the midfield engine and captain for Hungary, whom he has played 40 times for at the age of just 23. The outstanding technician with a habit of netting spectacular goals has made more than 200 competitive appearances in club football already.
Coach: Marco Rossi
The 59-year-old has been Hungary coach for six years now after being in the Honvéd dugout for five years previously. The former Eintracht Frankfurt player is therefore now a fully fledged icon of the Hungarian game. Rossi led Hungary to Euro 2020, but they exited at the group stages there in a section that also included Germany.
One to watch: Milos Kerkez
The left-back is one of Europe's most exciting defenders. Kerkez made his breakthrough at AZ Alkmaar in 2022 and last summer moved to Bournemouth, where he has become a regular. He has been part of the national team since 2022.
Expectations
Hungary are at their third successive European Championship finals. That is creating a sense of expectation and rekindling memories of Rossi guiding his side to points against Germany and France in the last tournament. Their qualification was very smooth with an unbeaten Group G campaign. Getting knocked out out in the group stages would therefore go down as a disappointment.
Prediction
Rossi has said that all four teams in the group stage have the same chance of progressing. Hungary come into the tournament in strong form, making the last 16 a realistic aim - and third place in the group could even be enough for that. You would be surprised if they went any further than that, however.
Euro 2024 group previews